The Tragic End to a Promising Beginning

“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.’ Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.’” 
1 Samuel 15:20-23   

King Saul’s downfall was due to the fact that logic and self took the place of simple obedience to the revealed will of God. Lest we find ourselves too eager to criticize this great man, remember that he was chosen by God, and as anointed king of Israel, he was uniquely touched by God’s Spirit to the point that he even joined the prophets and prophesied. He led the nation to many victories. He was a success in everybody’s eyes. Yet one area of Saul’s life remained unyielded even to God’s control. Saul never really learned to completely trust God.

Does your life look good to everyone on the outside? Are you considered a “success”? Do you seem to have it all together? Friend, it’s not impossible that even now you sense that the outside view is just a show. The inside is empty and shallow, full of fear and worry and doubt.
       
You don’t have to choose Saul’s route. His life is a sad example of the tragic end to a promising beginning. Saul’s downfall was disobedience. And in this day of grace, don’t underestimate the importance of complete and immediate obedience to God.

There’s the outside where people see what you want them to see. And there’s...